The name of Rio, however, does not appear in the song. Cidade Maravilhosa as a nickname for the city of Rio de Janeiro was coined by the writer Coelho Neto from the north-eastern Brazilian state of Maranhão as a tribute to the city's natural beauty. He had lived there briefly as a child and for much of his later life.[4]

Its title was also inspired by a highly successful radio program of the time, presented by César Ladeira. The anthem was popularized by Carmen Miranda and was declared the "official song of Brazil's new state of Guanabara" in 1960, after being converted into a samba.[5]